1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a device for correcting any one of a plurality of elements displayed in a display of an electronic timepiece. The contents of the display may include, for example, numerical figures or characters for indicating day, date, hour and minute, and may further include numerical figures or characters for indicating year and month.
2. Prior Art:
Some information associated with time, such as the display of day, date, hour and minute, can be corrected by feeding correcting pulses to the mechanism which stores the information, typically, by feeding correcting pulses to a counter. As a means for feeding correcting signals, a conventional correcting device is equipped with a first push-button switch for selecting the content of display that is to be corrected, and a second push-button switch for feeding correcting signals. Although the correcting device of this type requires simple operation for effecting the correction, it presents complicated combinations in regard to the order of pushing the two push buttons and the number of times for pushing the buttons, causing users to encounter difficulties in properly understanding the operation. Further, the greatly different order of operation from the operations of the conventional timepieces presents an unfamiliar feeling to the users, making the timepiece itself less desirable.
A correcting device of another type is comprised of a stem which is capable of being moved between at least three positions in the axial direction and which is also capable of being rotated by a suitable angle in both the right and left directions about its axis, and a crown mounted on the end of the stem. The display portion to be corrected is selected by pulling the crown from the first position to the second position; or by further pulling the crown from the second position to the third position and by rotating the crown in the right or left direction by a required angle at the second position or the third position. The correcting device of this type requires a correcting operation similar to that of conventional timepieces, and is easily accepted by users. To attain such an operation, however, it is necessary to provide two sets of switches in narrow spacing defined by the moving distance of the stem between the second and third positions, with resultant restrictions on the size of contacts constituting the switches. Such small switches require clumsy assembling operations and lack a desired durability.